NCI Course Details

Join us at one of our CAO Open Day events for Leaving Certificate students where you will be able to chat with our lecturers and talk to students about their course experiences.

• Wednesday, 18th November 2026, 11am-2pm - Register Here
• Saturday, 23rd January 2027, 10am-1pm - Register Here

Graduates of this course understand the theory and practice of accounting and finance, have skills and knowledge in all areas of business, and can pursue a career in general management, accountancy or related fields. Graduates are also eligible for professional accountancy body exemptions.

Students may also be able to take advantage of an opportunity to engage in a year-long, accredited work placement between years two and three. This placement is credit-bearing and comprises an extra year in the degree. Access to such placements is limited and highly competitive.

Year 1

• Financial Accounting 1
• Economics in the 21^st Century
• Academic Management Skills
• Mathematics for Business and Finance
• Business Law for Accounting and Finance
• Fundamentals of Management
• Information and Communications Technology in Accounting and Finance
• Quantitative Methods
• Introduction to Financial Markets
• Marketing for Accounting and Finance

Year 2

• Financial Accounting 2
• Management Accounting 1
• Corporate Finance
• Taxation 1
• Quantitative Methods in Finance
• Company Law for Accounting and Finance
• Business Economics
• Collective Investments
• Corporate Governance and Ethics

Students intending to undertake the Work Placement Year study a Career Development Skills module in Year 2.

Year 3

• Management Accounting 2
• Financial Reporting
• Law and Regulation
• Portfolio Analysis
• Derivatives and Risk Management
• Contemporary Issues in Finance and Accounting
• Financial Statement Analysis

Electives

Students select a 5-credit elective module in Semester 1 and 10-credit elective module in Semester 2.

• Taxation 2
• Taxation 3
• International Financial Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Research Project
• Audit and Assurance

Electives may include prerequisites, are subject to change, and availability is subject to class sizes.

For more information on elective modules, as well as work placement details, please download the BA (Honours) in Accounting and Finance brochure.

For more information on the modules taught on this course view our module descriptors.

This undergraduate course is a three-year honours degree (four years with the option of a placement*). The course is run over six semesters with continuous assessment held throughout the course and examinations at the end of each semester. In each year of the degree any student with an overall average of 70+ will win a Dean’s Award. On completion you will receive a QQI BA (Honours) Degree in Accounting and Finance at level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

*Students who complete the Career Management Skills module and meet set grade criteria are eligible (subject to availability) to complete a work placement on year three of the programme and graduate after four years with 240 ECTS credits.

Recent graduates are employed as trainee accountants and tax advisors within the Big 4 and Top 10 accountancy firms together with industry and financial services. Many are undertaking the professional accountancy exams. Specific employers include EY, Deloitte, BDO, Grant Thornton, JPA Brenson Lawlor, JP Morgan, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Citi, BNY Mellon, Moore Stephens, Cornmarket, PwC and Daiwa.

Read more about the career pathways of NCI accounting and finance students.

Upon successful completion of the BA (Honours) in Accounting and Finance, graduates can progress to postgraduate courses at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications such as the MSc in Finance and MSc in Accounting at NCI or pursue a professional accountancy qualification such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA.

This course is ideal for students who have an interest in the business world and who are looking to move into the international world of accounting and finance. The course is for school leavers, mature students and graduates of QQI level 5/6 programmes who wish to embark on a course of full-time study.

Graduates who meet the criteria decided by the professional accounting bodies may apply for generous exemptions from the examinations of professional accountancy bodies on completion of the course. These include:

• Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI)
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)

Exemption criteria are subject to change, students and graduates should check with the relevant professional bodies for the up-to-date criteria.

Accounting and Finance students can elect to undertake an 8–12 month work placement between Year 2 and Year 3. Work placement is a valuable opportunity for Accounting and Finance students to connect their academic learning with professional practice in accounting, finance, audit and business.

Through placement, you can gain first-hand experience of how organisations manage financial information, support decision-making, meet regulatory requirements and deliver professional services to clients and stakeholders. You could work in areas such as accounting, audit, tax, finance, fund services, business operations and financial administration across practice, industry and public sector organisations.

Placement also helps you develop practical workplace skills, build professional confidence, grow your industry network and strengthen your profile for future graduate roles.

In recent years, Accounting and Finance students have secured placements with Cronin & Co., EY, ESB, ESW, Forvis Mazars, the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, Ormsby & Rhodes, Whelan Dowling & Associates, Xeinadin, BDO, Trane Technologies and HLB Ireland.

Minimum entry requirements are a grade H5 and above in two higher level subjects together with a minimum of O6/H7 in four other subjects. A minimum of grade O6/H7 must be obtained in English. A grade O5/H6 must be obtained in Mathematics. Applicants from a PLC/further education course must have a full level 5/6 award, three distinctions and meet the CAO points requirement.

For applicants whose first language is not English, please note the English language entry requirements.

For international students, please visit NCI's Your Country section to view the specific entry requirements for your region.

Mature applicants, applicants with a disability or those applying through the DARE or HEAR access schemes can find out more information on the application process.

Please note that exams can be scheduled during the morning, afternoon or evening Monday to Saturday.

National College of Ireland has implemented a Bring Your Own Device policy for all courses. Specifically, students are expected to successfully participate in lectures, laboratories and projects using a portable computer (laptop/notebook) with a substantial hardware configuration.

The recommended configuration is as follows:

Processor:

• Intel 11th Gen or newer, Core i3 / i5 /i7 or Ultra 3 / 5 /7
  Or
• AMD 5000 Series or newer, Rzyen 3 / 5 /7

Random Access Memory (RAM):
16GB or greater

Storage:
SSD (Solid State Drive) 256GB or greater

Wireless Card:
802.11 n/ac/ax capability

Recommended Operating Systems:
Windows 11
Later Version of MAC OS should also be fine.
Chromebook’s are not recommended.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure their computer is functioning correctly and that they have full administrator rights. NCI cannot provide support for these personal devices.

2026 CAO Points Guide :* 330

*For each course we have given a guideline based on our points over the past 3 years. This is a guide only, points vary each year.

The CAO course code is NC022.

Students must obtain a minimum of 3 distinctions and a full award and meet the CAO points requirements to apply for this Level 8 course. 

Visit our QQI Applicants page for further information.
 

Did you know you can apply for a Sports Scholarship at NCI?

Watch this video to hear from our current sports scholars Stephen Achukwu (basketball) and Adam Leonard (football):

This course qualifies under the Free Fees Initiative and Student Grant Scheme.

Please note that effective from September 2026, the programme fee for International students is €14,000 per year.

For more information on international fees, please visit International Fees & Funding and International Scholarships.

Learn more about studying at NCI as an international student.

For domestic students applying through the CAO, this course applies under the free fees initiative. For further information, please see Free Fees Initiative.